Handkerchief fabric



March 20, 1934. M, s. SUTTON HANDKERCHIEF mama Filed May 10, 1933' 1 NVENTOR. flf/a /4zcjc P/r fang w' ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 20, 1934 PATENT oFFlcE HANDKERCH IEF FABRIC Michael s. Sutton, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application May 10, 1933, Serial No. 670,368

2 Claims.

This invention relates to handkerchiefs; more particularly to corded handkerchief fabrics. Handkerchiefs and handkerchief fabrics as known to me which include a plurality of corded threads outlining theconfiguration of the handkerchief, such as in a square, comprise rather fine body thread and a heavier cording thread which, in the higher grade of handkerchief and handkerchief fabric, comprise either pure linen fibre or a mixture of cotton and linen fibre, in which the relationship of cotton to linen is approximately -40.

While it is desirable to retain the main body of the fabric of more delicate threaded material, where the body of the handkerchief fabric constitutes substantially pure cotton thread and substantially pure cotton cording, the trade recognizes the inferiority of this product by the rapidity with which the nap of the thread is raised in successive laundering operations and the further fact that in the completely formed handkerchief, customarily stacked with other handkerchiefs or folded upon itself, the nap raised by the fibre of pure cotton fabric causes the layers of the fabric to adhere or cling ,so that when thrown open or unfolded, the clinging of the layers is perceptible in. an objectionable way. Continued use after laundering of such types of handkerchief and the clinging action accentuate the raising of the nap of the body of the fabric and leaves the fabric with a readily disengageable lint. The continued use of the handkerchief and the clinging tendency necessitating unfolding by a forceful throwing action, as is customary in unfolding a handkerchief, increases the raising of the nap.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a handkerchief fabric and resultant handkerchief which may be made of substantial ly pure cotton thread and which exhibits the characteristic features of a pure linen or substantially pure linen fabric, as well as having a characteristic non-nap engaging and nap-raising or non-clinging tendency of pure, or substantially pure, linen.

I have found by cording cotton handkerchief fabric with a substantially heavy linen cording, the characteristic features heretofore described as present in pure linen fabric are successfully achieved to a substantial degree. Thus I have found that handkerchief fabric may be made of the relatively delicate fibres of pure cotton, to obtain the desirable softness in texture and that the clinging tendency, accentuation of the raising of the nap or lint due to use, piling or rubbing, may be reduced to the minimum by cording the handkerchief with a relatively heavy cording of pure linen. Thus, it is an object of my invention to provide a substantially pure cotton handkerchief and handkerchief fabric of substantially non-clinging and non-nap raising qualities, simulating, to a large degree a substantially pure linen handkerchief.

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein or be hereinafter pointed out, I make reference to the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a handkerchief made in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Making reference to the drawing, a handkerchief made in accordance with my invention comprises a blank fabric 10, woven of substantially pure cotton thread of the requisite fineness. Adjacent the borders there are woven along lines outlining the customary square configuration of the handkerchief, a plurality of linen cords 11, interspersed as the warp in the length of the fabric and as the woof in the width of the fabric. These threads are interspersed between rows of cotton warp and woof threads, respectively, at 12. The spacing of the corded threads 11 may be made in accordance with a predetermined design, preferably including from twenty to twenty five cords for a normal sized handkerchief. The perimeter or edge of the handkerchief may be finished with a rolled edge or hemmed edge 13, in accordance with usual practice.

The article as described has the desirable fea tures that in use, where stacked completely open, without any folds, it may be removed from the stack repeatedly and the clinging tendency characteristic of cotton thread will be minimized, the cording apparently permitting separation from a stack without any sliding movement of the layers of the fabric. When the body of the handkerchief is folded into a number of folds, the throwing or unfolding of the handkerchief to open it will also be accomplished with the minimum amount of clinging action, even after repeatedl laundering of the handkerchief. Long fibred threads and the bulk constituting the linen cording, in accordance with the construction of the handkerchief or handkerchief fabric as described, permit this unfolding Without clinging tendency due to the nap of cotton fibres so that continued use, as is customary with handkerchiefs, avoids the frictional tendency between naps of adjacent handkerchiefs and thereby reduces the tendency to form a free lint, which is highly objectionable i in that it reduces the strength and life of the handkerchief fabric, as well as leaving a noticeable deposit of lint upon other articles of clothing with which it may come in contact.

It will thus be observed that by my invention, a handkerchief having substantially the desirable wearing qualities, appearance and feel of a pure or substantially pure linen handkerchief is obtained, without any substantial increase in cost of production over that involved in the manufacture of pure cotton fabric, which characteristics are exhibited in the fabric to a degree far in excess of the proportion of linen to cotton utilized in the entire fabric, especially as compared with handkerchiefs made of mixed cotton and linen.

Though I have specifically described by invention in its preferred form, as directed to the inter- Weaving of a cording, I consider my invention to have broader applicability in that the non-clinging tendency of handkerchiefs or handkerchief may be minimized by interweaving the warp and woof threads of larger diameter at isolated sections of the fabric, characterized by a tape weaving or satin stripe, and while the advantages herein described are achieved in a preferred manner by providing corded warp and woof threads of materially thicker character than the body of the fabric, and made of linen threads, the broader aspects of my invention are considered to reside in providing thicker pure linen threads at isolated sections of the fabric and this phase of my invention I consider to come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A handkerchief fabric comprising as the major portion thereof, warp and woof threads of substantially pure cotton woven into a flat fabric, border ornamentation of predetermined contour comprising corded warp and woof threads materially thicker than the cotton threads and made of substantially tightly spun pure linen, said fabric after being folded or stacked, exhibiting low clinging, napping and lint dispersing characteristics.

2. A linen-corded cotton handkerchief, the major portion of the handkerchief constituting cotton thread woven into a substantially fiat bodied fabric, with the linen cording materially thicker than the threads of cotton.

MICHAEL S. SUTTON. 

